Omnibus Spending: Senate missed the mark

By Chris Lugo | December 26, 2007 |

Last week the United States Senate passed the Omnibus Spending Bill, which included an appropriation of $70 billion for Iraq, showing that the Senate is once again out of touch with the basic values of the American people. According to a December 13th Gallup survey, Americans say that the war in Iraq is their number one concern, yet this past week the US Senate voted to “stay the course” and handed the President everything he wanted with respect to the war in Iraq.

American’s are highly skeptical about the notion of progress in Iraq, with only 11% polling responding that they are “pleased” with the results of the war. Yet Americans seem resigned to the fact that US troops are going to remain in Iraq. The simple fact is that the United States cannot afford to continue this war. In addition to the complete lack of international support for Bush’s folly, the middle class can no longer afford to pay for the war. The national debt is at an all time high of $9.1 trillion dollars and Congress has appropriated another $580 billion dollars in military spending, far in excess of the actual amount of appropriations needed to defend the national security . «Read the rest of this article»

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Season’s Greetings

By Bill Larson | December 25, 2007 |

The staff and writers at

Clarksville Online

wish all our readers the happiest of holidays

as you celebrate the spirit of Christmas.

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A Christmas I remember…

By Charles Moreland | December 25, 2007 |

Our family has celebrated and observed the Holy Season of Advent and Christmas in Korea, Vietnam and Germany while on active duty. As a chaplain, I conducted worship services and sang in cantata, the message of hope for this season.Even in Vietnam, our special ecumenical choir on Christmas Eve sang for the Vietnamese at the 91st Evac Hospital. Catholics and Protestants merged their talents in this presentation, which gave a boost to everyone’s morale as we made the most of the occasion so far from homes and families. I can say it was a time of joy and sadness for all of us. To appreciate the season, though, we have each other. «Read the rest of this article»

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City Council plans public forum to address citizen concerns on redevelopment, blight

By Christine Anne Piesyk | December 23, 2007 |

As details of the recent City Council action in approving Ordinance 73-2005-06 unfold, residents of the two-square mile downtown district now deemed “blighted” awakened to what is perceived as a potential threat to their homes and neighborhoods in form of “redevelopment” and eminent domain. The Council quietly whispered through the new ordinance and the people roared back their displeasure in the form of grassroots meetings and the beginnings of a sign campaign that touts the area as “Blightville.”

The City Council, which had considered the plan a done deal, is now facing the need to justify the Downtown Redevelopment Plan. They will respond to an angry constituency with a meeting of their own, a public forum to be held in January on a yet to be determined date and time and location. The Council hearing will be led by an as yet unnamed attorney. They’ll need a big room, since the opposition is growing steadily, as noted with the three hundred people who showed up for the December 17 petition drive at the Historic Train Station on Tenth Street. «Read the rest of this article»

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In the spirit of Christmas, the ACLU sings

By Charles Moreland | December 23, 2007 |

The Music of this Holiday Season is uplifting a prepares emotionally and spiritually the celebration of Christmas and the New Year. Whatever the faith, music and signing is indispensable and enriches out lives whether it’s sacred or secular.Joining us in our musical jubilation are myriad organizations who also recognize the values espoused in the songs, cards, and happiness of the season. In December, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Washington office joined carolers in expressing the peace, joy and hope of the season as expressed through music. «Read the rest of this article»

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SSA budget increase to reduce backlog, expedite disability claims

December 22, 2007 |

The news could have been better, but given the circumstances, the news for SSA is positive. The FY 2008 Omnibus budget bill, which has been passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, recommends a funding level for SSA of $9,746,953,000. The President’s FY 2008 budget request for SSA was $9,596,953,000. The first version of the Labor-HHS bill provided $275 million over the President’s budget, but was vetoed by the President.

In fashioning a new bill, there was talk that most federal agencies would receive only the President’s request. The bill actually recommended an even higher number for SSA’s administrative funding; however, that amount was reduced by an across-the-board cut of 1.747%, reducing the SSA funding level.

Bottom line: In the end, SSA came out ahead of the game, but not as much as we had hoped. After the across-the-board reduction, SSA’s administrative funding in the FY 08 Omnibus measure is $150.0 million over the President’s budget request - and $451.0 million over the FY 200 level of funding. «Read the rest of this article»

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Audubon holds Christmas bird count; evidence of decline, habitat loss noted

By Debbie Boen | December 21, 2007 |

A little known spy group in Clarksville meets twice a year at Shoney’s before the crack of dawn. When their plotting is done they leave at sunrise in several vehicles and drive to different areas of town. During the day they drive and walk every bit of their area and using spyglasses (binoculars) they jot down notes about their victims’ private lives. Some of these spies have been operating this secret mission for years and are really good at finding what they are looking for. “It’s like fishing in a way,” says Elaine Faust. “You are always anxious to see what’s around the next corner, by the next tree or in the next field. Sometimes you see things that aren’t supposed to be there and that’s really exciting.”

At the end of the day they celebrate their hard work and discoveries by sharing a dinner of chili. The notes collected there disclose nasty secrets that we may not want to know.

These spies are members of the Audubon society; they have acquired the ability to quickly recognize different types of birds and jot down how many they see. Twice a year, in December and in May, Audubon members gather to do an eight-hour count of birds in this area. Audubon member Amy Wallace says that the Christmas bird count (CBC) is so-named to counter an old tradition of hunters killing as many birds as they can before Christmas. «Read the rest of this article»

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Redevelopment meeting caught on tape; panelists review ‘blight,’ eminent domain’

By Christine Anne Piesyk | December 20, 2007 |

On Friday, December 14, the Urban Resource Center sponsored an informational program at the HOPE Center on Legion Street to address issues regarding the recent designation of downtown Clarksville as “blighted and a proposed Clarksville Redevelopment Plan.

A second meeting, sponsored by the Clarksville Property Rights Coalition, was held December 17 at the Train Station. That session drew nearly 300 area residents.

Approximately 50 residents, taxpayers, and homeowners attended that session, which featured the panelists: Nashville Atty. John Summers who currently chairs the Tennessee Historic Preservation Coalition, Dan Brown, Executive Director of the Tennessee Preservation Trust, Civil Rights activist and advocate Jimmie Garland Sr. (at right) who is currently serving as President of the Clarksville branch of the NAACP, and author and Human Relations Commissioner David Shelton. Ward 6 Councilor Marc Harris was scheduled to be on this panel but failed to appear. The panelists discussed the issue of eminent domain and the scope of the proposed redevelopment.

Mark Haynes videotaped the HOPE Center meeting in full, and we now present that tape in its entirety to our readers.

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